Crime
₦120bn Worth Of Fake Products Destroyed In Six Months – NAFDAC
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has announced the destruction of over ₦120 billion worth of seized substandard products across Nigeria in just six months.
This revelation came from the agency’s Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, in her Christmas and New Year messages to Nigerians.
The crackdown, spanning October to December 2024, targeted substandard medicines, counterfeit foods, and beverages across the country’s six geopolitical zones and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
READ MORE: 2025: Nigerian States Fail To Achieve 60% Budget Execution In 2024
Prof. Adeyeye emphasized the agency’s commitment to safeguarding public health, urging citizens to buy food and beverages only from credible outlets and to avoid products lacking NAFDAC registration numbers.
“When a product is too cheap, it is most likely compromised,” Prof. Adeyeye cautioned, stressing that such items often pose severe health risks.
Nationwide Operations and Seizures
NAFDAC’s enforcement operations were spearheaded by its Investigation and Enforcement (I&E) Directorate in collaboration with the Pharmacovigilance (PV) and Post-Marketing Surveillance (PMS) Directorates. Highlights of their efforts include:
Ibadan (December 11, 2024): Destruction of expired and unregistered drugs worth ₦11 billion.
Lagos: Seizure of fake medicines worth ₦300 million at the Tyre Village, Trade Fair Complex in November. Counterfeit alcohol packaging centers were dismantled, confiscating items valued at ₦2 billion.
Nasarawa State (Karu Market): Confiscation of ₦5 billion worth of expired and counterfeit rice. A factory and eight shops packaging fake rice, valued at ₦5 billion, were sealed at Ninjur Ventures on Abacha Road.
FCT (Abuja Markets): Over 1,600 bags of counterfeit rice worth ₦5 billion seized at Wuse and Garki markets.
Aba, Abia State (December 16-17, 2024): Large-scale production and distribution of counterfeit goods uncovered, including beverages, carbonated drinks, spirits, and revalidated food items such as noodles and powdered milk, valued at ₦5 billion.
2025: Tougher Measures Ahead
Prof. Adeyeye reiterated NAFDAC’s resolve to intensify its efforts against the “merchants of death” in 2025. “The coming year will be tough for people who prioritize money over the wellbeing of their fellow human beings,” she warned.
To ensure public safety, NAFDAC advised Nigerians to Purchase products from reputable outlets with NAFDAC registration numbers, avoid goods sold at unusually low prices, as they are often counterfeit and look out for poor packaging, spelling errors, and unusual bottle shapes, which may indicate falsified products.
“We appeal to Nigerians to buy only NAFDAC-registered drinks from licensed retailers, bars, and supermarkets,” Prof. Adeyeye added.
Crime
Shock in Abia as NDLEA Arrests Two Grandfathers for Selling Drugs to Secondary Students
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested two elderly men aged 84 and 75 for allegedly supplying illicit drugs to secondary school students in Umuahia, Abia State, in a shocking case that has stirred public concern.
The suspects, identified as Godfrey Orji (84) and Godwin Obulunbiya Obiora (75), were arrested in separate intelligence-led operations by NDLEA operatives over their alleged involvement in drug distribution within school communities.
Drugs hidden in patent medicine shop
According to the NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, Obiora was arrested on June 19, 2026, after credible intelligence linked him to selling illicit substances to students from his patent medicine store located at 4 Club Road, Umuahia.
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A search of the premises reportedly led to the recovery of 4.64 kilograms of opioids, including tramadol and diazepam.
Babafemi stated: “Pa Obiora was arrested by NDLEA operatives following credible intelligence that he was selling illicit substances to young students and others in his patent medicine store.”
Arrest at school exposes second suspect
In a separate operation, Godfrey Orji, a pensioner, was apprehended after he was allegedly caught supplying drugs to students of Saint Silas Secondary School, Old Umuahia.
Security guards at the school reportedly intercepted him and handed him over to the police, who later transferred him to the NDLEA.
One of the teenage students, a 15-year-old SS2 pupil, allegedly confessed during interrogation that the suspect regularly supplied him with drugs, which he also sold to other students.
Students moved to rehabilitation
The NDLEA confirmed that while the two suspects will face prosecution, the affected students have been placed under counselling and rehabilitation programmes as part of efforts to curb drug abuse in schools.
Nationwide crackdown continues
The Abia arrests come amid ongoing nationwide operations by the NDLEA, which also recorded major drug seizures across the country In Lagos, operatives intercepted 9.5kg of ADB-Chminaca, a synthetic cannabinoid concealed in a shipment from China.
Another raid uncovered 300 grams of cannabis (“Loud”) hidden in handbags at a logistics facility.
A drug dealer’s home in Ajah was raided, with codeine syrup and cannabis recovered.
In Kogi State, a suspect was arrested with 1.030kg of methamphetamine hidden in custard containers.
In Oyo State, operatives recovered 1,416kg of skunk during a major raid.
In Edo State, large cannabis farms were destroyed, with over 4,000kg of cannabis recovered or eradicated.
NDLEA vows stronger enforcement
NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), commended operatives across multiple states for their coordinated operations and urged them to sustain the momentum.
He reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to both enforcement and public sensitisation under its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign.
The NDLEA says it will continue its nationwide crackdown on drug trafficking networks, especially those targeting vulnerable young people in school environments, as investigations and prosecutions continue in the Abia case.
Crime
Shock in Kano as Popular TikToker Is Detained Over Boyfriend’s Death
Popular TikTok personality, Fati Cele, has been detained by the Kano State Police Command following the death of her boyfriend, Isma’il Makaye, at her residence in Kano State.
The development was confirmed on Saturday by the Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Abdullahi Haruna, who said the social media influencer is currently in custody while investigations continue.
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“Yes, it’s true, the TikToker is currently being detained over the death of her boyfriend, Isma’il Makaye,” Haruna said.
The police spokesperson, however, declined to provide further details regarding the incident, stressing that investigations are ongoing.
Fati Cele, who is originally from Borno State, resides in a rented apartment in the Danbare area of Kano.
She is a well-known content creator on TikTok, where she has built a following of more than 32,000 followers.
According to a source close to the deceased who spoke on condition of anonymity, the incident occurred after Cele allegedly raised an alarm from her residence, claiming there was a fire outbreak.
The source said Makaye was immediately rushed to Nassarawa Hospital for treatment but was later confirmed dead.
It was further gathered that officers attached to the Dorayi Babba Police Division subsequently took the TikTok personality into custody as part of ongoing investigations into the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The deceased, Makaye, was a cosmetics trader who lived in the Hotoro Tishama area of Kano.
Family associates disclosed that he was buried at Unguwa Uku Yan Awaki after his remains were released to relatives for burial rites.
The Kano State Police Command has yet to disclose the exact cause of death, maintaining that investigations are still underway.
Crime
Fake Job Offer Exposed as Police Rescue Young Women from Alleged Sex Trade
The Lagos State Police Command has uncovered an alleged human trafficking scheme and arrested a woman accused of attempting to traffic three young women from Kaduna State to Ivory Coast for prostitution.
The victims, aged between 18 and 20, were reportedly lured from Kaduna to Lagos with promises of legitimate employment at a restaurant.
However, upon arriving in the Ajegunle area of Lagos on May 23, they allegedly discovered that the job offer was a cover for a plan to send them abroad for prostitution.
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According to information obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), one of the victims became suspicious after learning of the suspect’s alleged intentions and immediately objected to the arrangement.
A police source disclosed that the young woman informed the suspect that prostitution was never part of the agreement and that they had travelled to Lagos believing they were coming for genuine employment opportunities.
“She immediately told the suspect that prostitution was not what they had been told they were coming to Lagos for,” the source said.
The source further revealed that the suspect allegedly took the girls to a motor park in preparation for their movement out of the country.
“The suspect allegedly took the girls to a motor park with plans to facilitate their movement out of the country.
“Alarmed by the development, one of the victims approached the police and lodged a complaint.
“Following the report, detectives launched an investigation and subsequently apprehended the suspect,” the source added.
Following the complaint, detectives launched an investigation that led to the arrest of the suspect.
Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Fatai Tijani, subsequently ordered that the case be transferred from the Tolu Police Division in Ajegunle to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Yaba, for a thorough investigation.
The case is currently being handled by the Anti-Human Trafficking/Gender Unit of the SCID under the supervision of the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the department, Mr. Dayo Akinbisehin.
Investigators are probing allegations of conspiracy, deception and human trafficking, while efforts are ongoing to rescue other victims reportedly being held by an accomplice and identify additional members of the suspected trafficking network.
The police source also disclosed that the victims were never informed about the alleged plan before leaving Kaduna and that one of them became alarmed only after learning of the intention to transport them abroad for prostitution.
Authorities said investigations have been concluded and the suspect is expected to be charged to court soon.





